Rotary engine.



G. H.` HARDMANI ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16| I9I7.`

1,280,022. I Pa-tentedy 1.24, 1918. I

G. H'. HARDMAN. RGTABY ENGINE.

APPLICATloN msn 1AN.|6.|911`.

' Parentedsept. 24,1918.

E ET S`S H E ET G..H. HARDMAN.

ROTARY ENG|NE.

APPLICATION FILED um. ns. |911.

HEET 3.

Patented Sept. a sHEsrsfs ]52 venia?? 421102422 ery Q' i State of Gardinen n. HARDMAN, or FALL ervan, ivfAssAcrUsE'r'rs.

RUTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept; 24,1918'.

Ap'lhiation inea January 16, 1917. seriai 1in. 142,661.

Td 'all whom it concern Be it knownl that I,y Gawker; I-I. HAnniviANa a oitiiei if tleInited States, residing at Fall RiverJ the` county of Bristol and chu'setts, have invented certa'i'n new a "d use Engines, of which the' following is a specii- L invention relates to Irotary engines operated by steam, compressed air, gas, or

similar motive force.

The"essential objectsof my invention are togsedu're a` ihaziinuniof leverage and to completely utilize the expansion of the energy eniplofed. Further` objects are toreduce the niflbe` and simplifyA the number of parts of the engine, toedc'e the cost of 1n anufacture of the same in a construction adaptedv for use under variousconditions, and `to insflea perfect' and instantaneous cooperation ofthe cylindera'nd movable' cylinder head.

` To the "above .iidsv primarilyniy invention consists in .such parts and combinations ofpar'ts as' fall within the scope of the appended claims. i y

In the accofpanying drawings which fcjri'nl a part of this specification, and which illustrate the principle yof this invention in the best mode now known to me of applying thatpiple, 4

Figures 1 and 2 `are front and end elevan tioiisJ respectively of a rotaryV engine, in this i11stiice` an air operated engine, embodying my invention,

i113, aloiigit'udinal section of the same Online of Fig'. a

, respectively einig. e,

8, a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3 showing the position. of the parts when the carii hs'nioved ninety degrees. from its position 14 Fig. 9', a detailv view of a cylinder head,

Fig. 10, a side elevation partially in longitudinal section of afmodiication of my engine in multiple or duplicate form, and

Fig.11, a section of another modified form.'

Lilie reference characters indicate like parts throughout the views.

The framework of my engine may be of any form of construction suitable for carrying the several details of mechanism. In the form thereof herein shown, it consists of a base 12 carrying `uprights 13 supporting bearings 14 for the shaft 15. Upon the base fill Improvements in Rotary 7,1 transverse sections of interirlediate theuprig'hts a cylindrical standard or block 17 having a lcylindrical end extension or hub portion or A boss 18 of reduced` diameter, Y ormng aresultant annular end face 19 uponv the standard.v In the latter., adjacent said face is a substantially annular passage 20, from which leads a supply` pipe 21 to admit, from any convenient source, the actuating power; in this instance compressed air. Adjacent the passage 2() is an annular passage 22 from which extends a pipe or opening 23 in the standard to the atmosphere. Coinniunicating with the passage 2011i the face 19 of the standard are one or more, in this instance two, arcuate comparatively long slots or openings 25 which constitute energy :ports for thev admission of the expansive agent; These ports are Vlocated diametrically opposite each other.. Openings or exhaust ports 27 in the face 19, of less dimensions' than the ports 25, communicate with'rthe passage 22, and are diam'etrically opposite `each other alternating withr the ports; 25. The boss has a' concentric cavity 29, and the standard a concentricopening 30 to `permit thev loose passage of the shaft 15 therethrough. `Fast to the latter within the cavity isa cam 32 having shoulders 33 equal in number to the cylinder heads. y f

In the construction illustrated, there are two cylinder heads 35, each comprising' a body or plate 36 and a lateral cam projection` 37, triangular in shape and provided with an inclined operating' face 38. The cani is located midway the bre'adthlof o 'ne of Vthe broad facesof the` body at its outer4 end, as shown in Fig. 9. The heads' 36: arey slid ably mounted in slots40' in the hub, and the cam projections slide in rectangular slots 41 openinginto the first slots at right angles thereto, and extending to the periph? ery of the boss. The heads are in the'p'ath of the cani shoulders 'and'c aresliccess'ively' elevated thereby to radially move the Cain face 38 beyond theperiphe'ry of the bess 18` Fast to the shaft 15 is a 43 havin ay peripheral; rim 44 upon-'whose 'inner eli" is an intiined annular flange 45 slidable on the face 19 of the standard and provided with ports or openings 47 diametrically opposlte each other adapted to register with the ports 25 and 27 when the disk rotates. The edge of the flange 45 slidably embraces the boss 18. An annular expansion chamber 1 46 is formed by the rim or' ange, divided by one or more transverse walls, or pistons 49 on the rim adjacent the openings 47, and 1n slidable contact with the periphery of the boss 18, into arcuate expansion chambers 50 revoluble `with the disk relatively to the block; and cach chamber has an opening 47. Upon one side of each piston 49 is an in-y clmed cam face 52, and the opposite side of the partition has a slightly inclined cam face 53. Both cam faces are in annular :ilinement with the cam faces 38 when the cylinder heads are distended. The disk 43, rim 44, and flange 45 constitute a revolving cylinder.

The operation of my engine is as follows, reference being first had to Fig. 4. The compressed air or other energizing agent enters the passage 20 through the pipe 21 and enters a chamber 50 through a port 25 and an opening 47. Expansion of the agent takes place in this chamber acting against a wall or piston 49 and an extended cylinder' head 36. Since the latter is relatively stationary or non rotary, the piston 49 responds to the force and rotates the disk 43 and its shaft 15 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 4. It will be understood that during the expansive action of the active agent, the member 36 has been raised or extended by a cam shoulder 33 across one of `the semiannular chambers 50 into contact with the flange 44 and forms an abutment or resisting area to the fluid agent under expansion. The elevation of the abutment member simultaneously raises the cam 37 above the periphery of the boss. As expansion and rotation continue, the next successive 'piston 49 approaches the extended cylinder head, and the cam face 52 contacts with the cam face 38 whereby the member 36 is depressed to the position shown in Fig. 8 with its outer extremity flush with the periphery of the boss 18 so as to permit the wall 49 to pass unimpeded. The cam 37 insures a quick and steady descent of the member 36, and as the face 38 is inclined at the same degree as the face 52, there is no friction or wear of the parts. As the member 49 leaves the member 36, the latter in its expansive movement follows the cam face 53 thus insuring a more perfect closure of the peripheral chambers at this instant than would otherwise result. During the described rotation, the openings 47h-re simultaneously admitting the active agent through the ports 25 for a prolonged period, since the ports 25 are more than half the length of one of the semi-annular cham- Qoples of this patent may be obtained for bers, and next are registering briefly with the exhaust ports 27.

It will be understood that-the member or radially movable abutments and axially movable walls may be one or more, the number of ports being made to correspond with the number of annular chambers.

Any desired convenient resilient or mechanical means other than the cam 32 may be employed for distcnding the cylinder heads.

The engine may be arranged in multiple if preferred, that is, any number of rotary disks and attached parts may be used. When the engine is constructed in duplicate, the arrangement may be as shown in Fig. 10, wherein the boss is duplicated on the oppo site end of the standard, and all the rotary parts moving in conjunction therewith are similar to those already described. The passages 20 and 22, however, arepreferablY broadened into passages 55 and 56, and the cylinder heads are positioned at a radial angle differing from the angle of heads 36.

In Fig. 11 is shown the form of my engine wherein only one expansion chamber is used.

I claim l 1. In a rotary engine, the combination of a boss, a depressible radial head slidably mounted in the boss, a cam on the head, a rotary cylinder journaled.. on the head, and

means on the cylinder slidably engaging the cam for depressmg the head.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with the boss, of a rotary cylinder journaled on the boss, a piston fast to the cylinder, a radially movable head in the boss, and a cam on the head actuated by the piston.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination of a stationary boss provided with a slot, a revolving cylinder comprising an annular chamber surrounding the boss,- a piston transversely fixed in the cylinder across the chamber, acam face upon one side of the piston, a cam face disposed at a less angle upon the other side o f the piston, and a de pressible cylinder head mounted in the slot normally traversing the chamber in the path of the cam face. l l

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE H. HARDMAN. Witnesses:

JOHN B. BRENNAN, Jr., HoRA'rro E. BnnLows.

ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, `Washington. D. 0. i 

